Sheet-feeding mechanism.



B. GUSTAFSON, DECD.

K. N. COLTON. (FORMEBLY K. N. GUSTAFSON.) EXECUTRIX.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. |914.

Patented Mar.7,1916.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wl TNE SSE S [NVE/l TOR C erzhr Gustafson BERNE eUsrAFsoN, DECEASED, LATE or PLAINFIELD, New JERSEY, BY KATH- EBINE NEILSON GOLTON., (FORMERLY KATHllBfJIINIs".A NEII-:SON GUSTAFSON,) EXECU- nini 0F YLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOCROSS PAPER FEEDER COMPANY, OF'PO-BTLAND, MAINE, A COORATION OF MAINE. l

' Specioation of Letters Patent.

SEEET-FEEDING MECRANISM.

Patented. Mar. "Z, 1916.

Substitute for application Serial No. 858,545, led August 18, 1914. riginal application led `luly 29,

19438, Serialft'o.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that BERNHARD G rUsTArsoN, deceased, late a citizen of the United States and a resident of Plainfield, in the county oi Union and State of New Jersey, did invent certain new and` useful improvements in Sheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which thepfollowing is a speciiication.

The invent1on relates vto sheet eedmg. machines, and more particularly to retarding mechanism for such machines.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 445,853, filed July Q9, 1908.

Machines of the class to which this invention is applicable usually comprise a support for the pile or bank of sheets, sheet segregating devlces in the form of one or more combing wheels, and delivery devicesin the form of gripping rolls Aby which the sheets are seized and taken from the pile or bank. The top sheet is advanced into position to be seized by the gripping rolls by one or more combing Wheels working in conjunc- `tion with trip levers that are actuated by the sheet as it is combed to the point of delivery. While the top sheet is being removed by the gripping rolls, a retaining device is brought down into contact with the nextsucceeding sheet at' the rear of the pile to keep the same in place during the removal of the top sheet. A retarding device or tail drag is sometimes used .for bearing on the top of the pile at the rear of the y'combing Wheels to retard the advance of the sheets by the combing wheels, and it is with such a retarding device, andthe means for operating or controlling it, that the present invention is concerned. Retarding devices or tail drags as heretofore constructed apply a constant pressure during the combing intervals to the sheets back of the combers, and tend to equalize the pressure between the sheets and to render the separation more uniform. While f these retarding devices tend to equalize the separation between the individual sheets in the pile or bank, they also tend to hold back or retard the forward movement of the sheets during the action of the combers, and to thus increase the separae45,853. Divided and this application led December', 1914. Serial No. 875,259.

tion and increase the period during which the combers must remain in action 1n order cally equalize the period during which thecombers must remain in action in order to advance the top sheet into position to be 'taken away by the delivery devices. To this end the invention contemplates the provision in a machine provided with a combing device for acting on the sheets, of a retarder or tail drag the retarding action of which is automatically varied to equalize the period of activity of the combing device. Since the pressure of the retarder4 on the sheets, if maintained, may unduly increase the separation and theI length of comb (-z'. e., the period of activity of the combing device required to bring the sheet into position), the

mechanism which actuates or controls .the retarder. is constructed to relieve the pressure on the sheets during the combing interval. In the preferred construction the relieving ofthe pressure is controlled by the movementv of the sheets through the trip devices which cause the comber to be thrown outof action, although this is not essential to the broader scope of the invention. yIn the preferred construction, the application or increase of pressure by the retarder is also controlled by the movement of the sheets, and since the retarder should apply pressure to increase the separation, and the length of the comb when the separations become slight, or the comb abnormally short, the mechanism for controlling or actuating the retarder is constructed to press the retarder-on the sheets when the comb falls below a predetermined length.

The features of the invention outlined above, as well as further features set forth in the claims, will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the mechanism illustrated therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating an embodiment of the invention, parts being broken away and others shown in section; Fig. 2 is a broken side View, showing the operative parts of the aforesaid retarding device in retracted position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to the preceding, but with the retarding device and operative parts thereof down in position to exert pressure upon the paper pile; and Figs. 4 and 5 are details of some of the operative parts in changed positions.

Similar parts are designated by corre-v sponding vreference characters throughout the several views.

The machine to which the improved sheet retarding mechanism is herein shown applied for use is a sheet feeding machine of that class or type which is provided with means for supporting a pile of sheets as indicated at 11 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, in such position that their forward edges, when advanced, are adapted to be moved along or across a throat or plate 12, in position to be individually seized and withdrawn byJmeans of a pair of suitably 4actuated grip rollers 14 and 15, or equivalent sheety taking means, which operates in a well known way to deliver the sheets singly and successively-to a printing, folding or other machine in connect1on wlth which the sheetfeeder is employed.

A comber or segregating device 21, which as herein shown is made in the form of a combing wheel, continuously driven in a well known way, is employedto separate the sheets from the stack or pile and to advance them along or across the throat or plate 12 into position to be seized and withdrawn from said stack or pile by the operation of the grip'rollers or equivalent sheet taking means, and as herein shown an arm or lever 22 is employed for supporting and moving the comber 21 into and out of operative 'or feeding engagement with the sheets, be-

ing capable of downward movement to 1 lowersaid comber so that it may rest upon and in feeding engagement with the topmost or endmost sheet of the bank or pile, in order that said sheet may be yfed forwardly or advanced into position to "be seized and withdrawn by the operation of said grip rollers 14 and 15..

When the sheet shall have been properly advanced "ready to be seized bysaid grip rollers, said arm or lever 22 serves as a means for elevating said comber 1n order that it may be lifted out of contact with the topmost sheet of the stack or pile during the operation of said grip rollers, 1t being understood that, as the topmost sheet is moved or fed forward during the rotation of said comber, the friction of each sheet upon that next beneath it in the pile I or ,stack operates to comi'nunicate the forward or combing movement in a gradually lessened degree to the several sheets at the top of the pile next beneath the topmost sheet in such manner that their forward edge portions are gradually and progressively advanced or combed forward over the feed equivalent means secured to the cam shaft 105 and arranged to engage an arm projecting downward from the arm 22. Since there is a certain irregularity in the feeding action arising out of contact of the comber upon the sheets, rendering it necessary to vary the time during which the comber rests in lowered position and feeding contact upon different or successive sheets, or in other words, to lift the comber at diderent times from different sheets, accordingly as each sheet may have been combed forward or advanced to a. greater or less degree, the

arm or lever 22 by means of which the comber is raised' from the sheets, will ordinarily be provided with spring-actuated lifting means, normally held inoperative by a latch'or detent which in itself is controlled and regulated by a trip device or trigger 44, actuated and controlled from ythe forward or feeding movement of the several sheets, and adapted to be tripped by the forward edge of each sheet as the same comes into position to be engaged by the rollers 14 and 15, whereby as each sheet comes into position with its forward edge properly advanced with respect to said rollers, the trigger is tripped thereby, and the detent or latch is operated to release the spring actuated lifting means which thereupon communicates its movement to the arm 22 in order that the latter may raise the comber from the pile or stack of sheets, and terminate the forward or combing movement of the latter. As shown, the arm 22 is provided with an extension 22 arranged to be engaged by a lug 38 on the arm 101, and the arm 101 is forcedin a direction to raise the arm 22 and combing roll by a spring 50 surrounding a rod pivoted to the arm 101 and interposed between a collar on the rod and a pivoted lug on the frame through which the rod slides. The arm101 is held against the tension of the spring by a connected arm 42, the forward tically varying the retarding actionnin suoliV manner that the retarder tends to v'equalize the comb, or in other words the period during which the wheel must remain in action in order to advance devices. The autoinatic variation of the retarding action may be secured in any manner, and by any suitable mechanism which will effect an automatic equalization of the comb, the retarding action being the greatest when the comb would otherwise be comparatively short, and being reduced when the comb would otherwise be comparatively long. In the preferred construction shown, the 'pressure of the retarder on the sheets is so controlled by the sheets that the retarder is pressed on to the sheets when the comb is comparatively short, and the pressure of the retarder is relieved by removal in whole or in part when the comb becomes comparatively long.

As shown, the retarder 61 comprises a press plate flexibly suspended from the lower end of a bell crank lever or angle lever comprising the two arms 62, 63 and having its fulcrum at 64 upon a support 65 above the rear part of the pile or bank of sheets, in order that the press plate may engage the sheets of the pile back of the combing wheel.

Yieldable pressure is exerted upon the press plate 61, and the sheets of the pile beneath the same, by means of a spring V71 arranged to abut and be pressed rearwardly against an eye 72 on the arm 63 of the bell crank lever, and thereby to swing the arm 62 of the lever downward into the position seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This spring iscoiled around a slidable rod 73, passed through the eye 72. and pivotally connected at one endto an arm 74 of a rock shaft 75 journaled in bearings upon the frame of the feeder.

The rock shaft 75 is. adapted to be .oscillated to slide the rod 73 backand forth endwise. and accordingly compress or. release the spring 71 through the instrumentality of av trifurcated lever 81, rigidlyv secured upon said rock shaft. Bars or links 83, 84, respectively jointed to the opposite lend forks of lever 81, are extended therefrom to the, forward part of the frame, past the combing Wheel. and are there fitted with sliding blocks 85, 86, each adapted to rest upon a pin or stud 87, w88, projecting oppositely from suitable supports provided therev'for on the forward part of lthe frame. A

third rod 89 is pivotally connected at one the top sheet to the trip end to the middle fork of the lever 81, and has its other end passed through an aperture in la post 91 standing upon the frame, a spring 93 coiled around this rod 89 between the rear side of post 91 and a collar 94 on said rod, serving by its tension when the lever 8 1 has been rocked past the perpendicularfin f' either direction, to hold the rock shaft and related parts correspondingly positioned until said lever 81 is afterward rocked in an opposite direction with sufficient force lto overcome the tension of said spring.

Both the bars or links 83, 84, are moved endwise through the agency ofthe reciprocatory arm or lever 101, forming part of thespring actuated means whereby the arm or lever 22 is operated, and carrying the lateral shifter plate 102, designed for contact with one or the other of said sliding blocks 85, 86. These bars or links are also capable of being moved side by side, in parallel vertical planes, so as to place their respective blocks or slides in or out of the path of the shifter plate, by means of cams 103, 104 secured to a transverse shaft 105. As best seen in Fig. 2, the cam l103 bears at its perimeter upon a laterally directed roller 106 on the block 85, while the cam 104 contacts directly with the under side of the block 86. Whenever the spring actuated device is released by the action of the sheet actuated trip device and oscillates the arm or lever 22, the shifter plate 102 is adapted to be thrownl by the arm or lever 101 from its forward position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to the rearward position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in such a manner ythat the sheet retarding means, comprising their shaft 105 is so timed relatively to the' various moving parts of the mechanism that whenthe blocks 85, 86 stand in the reciprocal positions shown in'Fig. 2, if the comb be normal, the cam 104 which controls the vertical movement of the advanced block 86 will have traveled so far in the direction of the arrow 107 in Fig. 3 as to leave this block in its lowermost position, wherein it is below the path of the shifter 102, as shown in said figure, before the trip device or trigger 44 shall have been tripped by the topmost sheet to, release the spring actuated device and permit the same to raise the arm or lever 22 which' supports the comber, and to move the arm or lever 101 which carries the shifter 102 rearwardly, and the latter will therefore pass freely rearward overl the lowered advanced slide block 86, and the retardin means will. remain out of effective operation owing to the inactivity of the slide rod 84 and other interconnecting elements.

On the other hand, if theadvanced forward edges of the sheets areV not spaced apart to a proper and sufficient extent, it is iio of the pile obvious that the topmost sheet 14 and 15,

will lbe withdrawn by the rollers leaving the forward edge of the next underlying sheet already so close to the trip de'- vice ortrigger 44 that in order to bring it into engagement with said trip device the combing wheel will have to advance such next sheet to an extent less than that which is normally required. Consequently, the comb will be comparatively short, and the comber will be raised and the armv or lever,

101 will be thrust rearwardly by the action of the sheet controlled trip device at a period.

v rocking the lever 81 and shaft 7 5 in such a manner as to draw rearwardly upon the rod 73 and cause'the plate 61 to be yieldingly pressed upon the rear ends of the sheets in theA pile 11. It follows that when the comber is next again lowered into contact with the pile, its operation in feeding or combing out the sheets is so retarded as to check the tendency of the sheets to advance too rapidly, and the separation between successive sheets is thus increased, and also the period during which the comber must remain in action in order to advance the top sheet into position against the trip.

Rocking the lever 81 and shaft 75 in the manner just referred to also serves to advance the slide block 85 to the position illustrated in Figs. l, 3 and 4, but the cam 103 is so timed and proportioned that if the comb continues to be comparatively short, owing to too close spacing of the forward edges of the sheets, or becomes normal, this cam holds the advanced slide block 85 in a position sufficiently elevated to allow the shifter 102 to pass under it, when thrust rearwardly in time with the operation of the sheet controlled trip device or trigger, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, without altering the position of the retarding means or interfering with its action in any manner.

Should the comb during the retarding operation of the retarder become abnormally long, however, the trip device or trigger 44 will not be tripped by the forward edge of the topmost sheet until after the cam 103 has progressed sufficiently to lower the advanced slide block 85 into the path of the shifter 102, as shown in .Fig.l3, so that when the arm or lever v101 is swung or thrust rearwardly by the spring actuated means above referred to, the shifter will contact with the raised slide block 85 and force it back to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby reverse armere -movement isimpa'rted to the lever 81 and shaft 75, to relieve the pressure exerted by the retarding means on the rear part of the.

or bank in whichthe sheets would otherwise comb forward easily, andl in which therefore the separation between individual sheets would be slight, the retarder presses on the sheets so that the combing takes place against the drag and resistance caused by the retarder. rlhe comb and separation are therefore increased 'over what they otherwise would be. lin operating upon those parts of the pile in which the sheets do not comb forward easily, and in which the separation is comparativelygreat, the pressure of the retarder is relieved so that the combing takes place againsta less resistance than would be the case if the retarding pressure were maintained. rl`he comb is therefore shorter and the separation less in these parte of the pile than they would be if the retarding pressure were not relieved. The retader therefore has the greatest retarding effect when the combing might otherwise be too easy or the separation' has the least retardlng'eflect when the combing would otherwise be too hard or the separation too great.

While it .is preferred to employ the construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement are not essential to the broader features of the invention, and may be varied and modified without departing therefrom.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of. mechanism in which it may be embodied, what is claimed'is:-

too slight, and

1. The combination with sheet feeding means, of sheet-actuated trip mechanism adapted to regulate the duration of activity of said sheet feeding means, a tail drag, and means automatically operated to vary the pressure of said tail drag to vary the period of activity of said sheet feeding means required to bring a sheet into predetermined position.

2. In a feeding machine, the combination of a sheet combing instrumentality, mea ns for moving it into and out of engagement with the top sheet of a pile, sheet actuated means for determining the duration of the period of activity of said sheet combing instrumentality, a tail drag, y-ieldable pressure exerting means forl pressing the tail drag down onto the pile of sheets, and means under the control of said sheet actuated counter pressure 3. In a paper 'feeding machine, the-combination with an automatically controlled capable of varying sheet combing device its period of activity upon a bank of sheets, of sheet retarding means capable of a variable degree of pressure upon said bank of sheets, and means coperatively actuating said sheet retarding means andv sheet combing device, Said actuating means being adapted to reduce the pressure exerted by said sheet vretarding means under a relatively long period of activity of said combing'device. 1 l

4. In a feeding machine, the. combination of fa4 sheet combing instrumentality, means formoving it linto and out of engagement withV the top sheet of a pile, sheet actuated means for determining the duration of the period of activity of said sheet combing instrumentality, a tail drag, yieldable pressure exerting means for pressing the tail drag down onto the pile of sheets, and means under the control of said sheet actuated means for modifying the pressure exerted by said pressure exerting means to correspond with the period of activity of said sheet combing instrumentality,- said pressure modifying means including a counter pressure bar which is movably mounted to adapt it to modify the pressure exerted by said pressure exerting means and power transmitting bar which is movable into and out of position to transmit power to Said bar under the control of said sheet actuated means.

5. In a paper feeding machine, the combination With an automatically controlled sheet combing device, of a tail drag operating upon the rear of a bank of sheets, and variable pressure means for pressing said drag upon the bank of sheets, said variable pressure means being adapted to decrease its pressure under a relativelyI long period of action of said sheet combing device.

6. In a paper feeding machine, the combination of an automatically controlledsheet combing device, a tail drag operating .upon the rear of a bank of sheets, and variable ressure means for pressing said tail drag to the bank of sheets, said variable pressure means being adapted to change its pressure automatically to correspond with the duration of the combing4 period.

7. The combination with a sheet combing device, of means for moving said device into and out of engagement with the top sheet of drag subject to variable pressure, and means for varying the pressure of said tail drag, said means being normally inoperative under a predetermined period of of said sheet combing inactivity of said sheet combing device and adaptedy to become operativev when the period of activity changes. y

8. The combination with sheet feeding means, of sheet actuated means for determining theperiod of activity of said feeding means required tobring a sheet into position to be delivered, a tail drag, and means for changing the pressure of said tail drag to govern the duration of said period of activity of the sheet feeding means, said pressure changing means being normally inoperative under a predetermined period of activity of the sheet feeding means and adapted to be rendered operative under other than said period of activity. Y

9. A sheet feeding machine, having, in combination, a comber, a retarder for applying pressure to the sheets during the comb, and mechanism lfor actuating the retarder to intermittently apply such pressure to the4 sheets.

10. A sheet feeding machine, having, in

combination, a comber, a retarder, and mechanism for actuating the retarder to apply pressure to the sheets,'and'to render the retarder inactive vvhen the comb exceeds a predetermined length. v

11. A sheet feeding mechanism having a sheet segregating device arranged for contact upon the sheets to move the same, and a retarding device capable of movement independently of the segregating device controlled from the movement of thesheets and arranged for changeable pressure to retard movement of 'the sheets during of the segregating device.

12. A sheet -feeding mechanism having a sheet segregating device arranged for contact upon the sheets to move the same, a retarding device also adapted for changeable 'pressure upon the sheets to retard the movement thereof during the action of the segregating device, and capable of movement independently of the segregating device,

and vmeans controlled from the movement o the sheets and controlling the operation of the retarding device. 13. A sheet feeding mechanism having a sheet segregating device arranged Vfor contact upon the sheets, a retarding device also arranged for changeable pressureupon the sheets to retard the movement thereof during the action of the segregating device and capable of movement independentlyof the segregating device, and means controlled from .the movement of the sheets and arranged to control the operation of the segregating and retarding devices. 14. A sheet feeding mechanism having a segregating device arranged for contact upon the sheets, a retarding` device also arranged for changeablepressure upon the sheets to intermittently retard the movement thereof during-the action of the segrethe actionl gating device, means for actuating the segregating device, land means operated in unison With said actuating means and arranged to control the actuation of the retarding device.

l 15. A sheet feeding mechanism having a sheet segregating device, a device arranged for changeable pressure upon the sheets to intermittently retard the movement thereof during the action of the segregating device, means for actuating the retarding device, and means controlled from the movement of the sheets and controlling the operation of the retarding device.

16. A. sheet feeding mechanism having a sheet segregating device movable'in contact with the sheets to advance the same, a device arranged for changeable pressure on the sheets to intermittently retard the move- 0 ment thereof during the action of the segregating device, and means actuated from the movement of the sheets and controlling said retarding device.

17. `A. sheet feeding mechanism having a segregating device arranged for contact with the sheets to advance the same, a device arranged for changeable pressure on the sheets to intermittently retard the movement thereof during the action af the segregating device, and means actuated from the movement of the sheets and controlling the move ment of said retarding device. 18. A sheet feeding machine, having, in combination, an automatically controlled sheet combing device, a tail drag for operating on the sheets during the combing interval, and means for automatically varying the retarding action of the tail drag.

19. A sheet feeding machine, having, in combinatiom an automatically controlled sheet combing device, a retarder for applying pressure to.the sheets during the comb, andpmeans for relieving the pressure when the comb exceeds a predeterminedlength.

20. A sheet feeding machine, having, in combination, an automatically controlled sheet combing device, a retarder for applying pressure to the sheets during the comb, and means for pressing the retarder on the sheets When-the comb falls below a predetermined length.

21. A sheet feeding machine, combination,l an automatically controlled sheet combing device, a retarder for applying pressure to the sheets during the comb, and means for pressing the retarder on the sheets when the comb falls below a predetermined length and forrelieving the pressure When the comb exceeds a' predetermined length. v

22. In a sheet feeder, the combination, with means for operating the combing roll of a pile drag, means for presenting a supply of sheets to the combing roll, and means forrelieving the pressure of the pile drag on the sheets during the combing interval.

lin witness whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

KATHERINE NEILSON COLTON, (FUBMERLY KATHERINE NEILSON GUSTAFSNJ Ezecutrz of Bernhard Gustafson, deceased.

Witnesses: v

D. L. RUBINOW, J. D. CArLiNcnn.

having, in 

